Help a child see their future

Too many children are still left waiting far too long to get an eye test and a pair of glasses.

For Rukayya, the board was just a haze of white.

When 12-year-old Rukayya sat in class, she couldn’t see the board. She didn’t tell anyone. She struggled in silence with headaches, dizziness and fear.

Without help, her chance of an education was slipping away. Rukayya urgently needed a pair of glasses.

When Barbara, a programme officer for eye health, first met Rukayya at her school, Rukayya was feeling worried and overwhelmed. Her blurred vision was making her more isolated, and without help, her world was at risk of shrinking.

A classroom with a teacher pointing to a whiteboard. A blurred filter has been applied to suggest what the board would look like for someone with a refractive error.
Even when Rukayya moved closer to the board, she still couldn’t make out the words.

I feel hurt to my chest.

Rukayya
Rukayya wears a white head covering while standing in a classroom.

Basic eye care is out of reach for many communities in Nigeria. A lack of local eye health centres and the shortage of trained optometrists in rural areas can mean that children are left undiagnosed. Untreated vision problems can lead to lost education and isolation.

When a child can’t see clearly, it can impact everything, from confidence and friendships to the dreams they have for the future.

What seems simple – an eye test and a pair of glasses – is life-changing when it’s accessible. For many families like Rukayya’s, it just isn’t within reach.

Will you help more children like Rukayya stay in school?

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Everything changed with an eye test

Rukayya’s life changed because of Sightsavers’ eye health screening programme in schools, known as SHIP. The programme brings eye care directly to children in their classrooms at school.

A teacher trained through the programme carried out an eye test for Rukayya and noticed the signs of blurry vision. Rukayya was referred for further tests where a Sightsavers-supported optometrist diagnosed her with refractive error.

How SHIP connects children to eye care

Teachers are trained

Trained teachers can check children’s eyes and spot vision problems such as refractive errors before they worsen.

Eye tests in schools

Eye tests are carried out in the classroom, reaching children who would otherwise go unseen.

Referral and treatment

Children can receive the vital eye care they need, including further vision tests or a pair of glasses.

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Without programmes like SHIP, children like Rukayya would remain unnoticed.

A simple pair of glasses changed everything for Rukayya. Rukayya can now see clearly, learn confidently and enjoy her independence.

Too many children are waiting for this transformation and every missed diagnosis is another child at risk of falling behind. That’s why thousands of children are sitting in classrooms unable to see the board clearly, simply because they can’t access treatment.

Today, you can help change that. Your gift can help reach more children waiting for the eye test and pair of glasses they can’t afford to wait for.

A girl wearing a white headscarf smiles while adjusting a pair of red glasses.
I can see everything the way I want…I am filled with joy.
Rukayya
A girl wearing a white headscarf smiles while adjusting a pair of red glasses.

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